Fiesole – Monte Ceceri, The Flying Machine by Leonardo and the Stonecutters- DAILY TOUR

What you will find

Departure from Fiesole, ancient Etruscan and Roman town
Uncontaminated natural environment
Engraved headstone dedicated to Leonardo’ flight attempt on top of Monte Ceceri
The ancient quarries of Sandstone “Pietra Serena”
The village of Maiano
Trails carved by Stonecutters

What's Inlcuded:

Hiking Guide Service for the entire length of excursion

Highlights:

Start: 9:30 am
Meeting point: Piazza Mino da Fiesole, Fiesole – at the end of the line of bus number 7
Excursion ends: Around 3:30-4:00 pm in Piazza Mino da Fiesole, Fiesole – Same departure location (loop itinerary)
Approximated time: 6 hours to 6 and a half hours
Difference in altitude: about 250 meters (820 feet)Length: about 12 km (7.5miles)
Terrain: itinerary and path dirt road, stones and stony ground, asphalt – uphill and downhill. Part of the itinerary inside a forest and in stony quarry areas
Level: Practiced hiker – Mostly on signposted paths, with mixed types of terrain, being used to uphill and downhill
Required: Hiking shoes and clothing, water according to necessity, sun hat, hiking sticks
Useful: Small backpack, sunglasses, insect repellant, sun screen
Compulsory keeping all covid-19 sanitary rules according to law, including wearing face masks, respecting safety distances, using disinfectant, carrying a small bag for eventual discarding. Compiling of a short form.

What's in your plan:

Trekking in Monte Ceceri Park
Leonardo and the launching of his “flying machine”
Sandstone quarries used for Renaissance palaces in Florence.

Description:

Departure from Fiesole, Etruscan town, toward Monte Ceceri “Natural Protected Area of Local Interest” (ANPIL)
First part is uphill, then downhill toward Maiano
We will enjoy an amazing panoramic view over Florence
We will arrive to the top of Monte Ceceri
We will speak about Leonardo
We will see the quarries where sandstone was extracted since the times of the Etruscans, the Romans, to the Renaissance and the Eighteen-hundreds when it was widely used for the palaces of Florence.
We will walk on paths used to reach the queries and to transport stones on wheelbarrows down to the city
We will walk through forest with holm oaks and cypress trees, mostly replanted after war time
Free time for lunch or picnic (packed lunch), as you prefer, in Maiano
We shall return through a different uphill itinerary to our initial departing location in Piazza Mino da Fiesole

PLEASE NOTE: Compulsory keeping all covid-19 sanitary rules according to law, including wearing face masks, respecting safety distances, using disinfectant, carrying a small bag for eventual discarding. Compiling of a short form. THE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY SANITIZED AND THE VISITS ARE CARRIED OUT IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS LAID DOWN BY THE HEALTH EMERGENCY